David Sharp was an experienced English mountaineer who died on May 18th. He was 34 years old. Many climbers walked on past while he suffered and died. Few including Mark Inglis stopped and tried to assist him by giving oxygen. But ultimately, they all walked on in their pursuit of climbing a mountain.
The story is shocking. For me, it is question of ethics. Where does ones Moral compass swing?
Sir Edmund Hillary, who was on the team that first climbed and reached the summit of Everest in 1953, called it “horrifying” that climbers would leave a dying man. David Sharp sat there without oxygen, ill equipped barely few feet away from the path where they walked by. The image below is poignant..
http://www.everestnews.com/everest2006/sharpeverest05272006.htm.
One of David Sharp’s climbing partners died two days after he did. His name was Vitor Negrete. His cached stores were stolen at various stages (Camp2). Some kind climbers let him share their food and tent. He later died during his descent after reaching the summit without using Oxygen. His lack of supplies appears to have been the major cause of his death.
I wrote this because I am torn by the attitude. I have always equated climbers with sailors – A hardy breed that live and die by a code of ethics. When ones life and survival are at stake, the trust and faith one has in others like you is what community and ethics are about.
Lincoln Hall was rescued yesterday (27th May) by a dozen Sherpa’s. He was carried down in a stretcher and was given more than 20 bottles of oxygen. Why did nobody do that for David Hall? Because he hadn’t paid the $75,000 some climbers pay for support?
Stealing a man’s food and equipment at 25000 feet is despicable. Walking past a man who lies dying a few inches from you is shameful. This is my opinion.
